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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Hinduja Brothers

Mr. Duncan Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers have made inquiries or representations concerning the Hinduja brothers to the Indian Government. [147769]

Mr. Wilson [holding answer 29 January 2001]: No FCO Minister has made any inquiry or representation to the Indian Government concerning the legal proceedings involving the Hinduja brothers.

Abortion

Mrs. Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will request from his counterpart in the US Administration the background information that formed the basis of their decision to withhold US Government funding from organisations providing abortion in the Third World and China; [147700]

(2) if he intends to support the United States President's recently announced policy concerning US Government funding for organisations providing abortion in the Third World and China during his forthcoming visit to the US. [147690]

Mr. Battle: The question of US funding of organisations whose programme includes the provision of abortion services and advice is a matter for the US Government to determine.

Elections (Observer Funding)

Mr. Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funding is given by his Department to the (a) British Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, (b) the Inter-Parliamentary Union and (c) the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe for election observing; and when this funding was last increased. [148326]

Mr. Wilson: The full title for the 'British Commonwealth Parliamentary Association' is 'Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (UK branch)'. The FCO provides no funding to this organisation. The branch is a registered UK charity and is one of 141 branches world-wide. Each branch is autonomous, raising its own finance. The UK branch relies on 90 per cent of its funding from HM Treasury.

The 'Inter-Parliamentary Union' is again funded directly by HM Treasury; the FCO provides no funding.

7 Feb 2001 : Column: 567W

The UK provides at least 10 per cent. of the requested personnel for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Electoral Observation Missions. In 2000 the cost of this was £562,546. In addition the FCO pays assessed contributions amounting to 9 per cent. of the OSCE core costs for election observation, as detailed in the organisation's annual budget. In 2000 this amounted to £187,043. The size of the UK contribution rises or falls each year according to the size and number of election observation missions mounted.

EU Charter of Fundamental Rights

Mr. Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 23 January 2000, Official Report, column 554W, on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, which person, body or state proclaimed the adopted charter; what statements relating to the charter were signed at Nice and by whom; and if all political declarations made at European councils and in ratified treaties are those of an agreed and collective policy. [148313]

Mr. Vaz: The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights was proclaimed by the three institutions--the Council, the European Parliament, and the Commission on 7 December 2000.

A statement saying that

"the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission solemnly proclaim the text below as the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union" was signed by the Presidents of the European Commission and European Parliament and by the French Foreign Minister on behalf of the Council.

A Declaration on the future of the Union, agreed at the Nice European Council, calls for the status of the Charter to be considered at the next IGC in 2004.

Mr. Krishna Maharaj

Mr. Peter Bottomley: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when consular staff have met Mr. Krishna Maharaj in the past two years. [149040]

Mr. Wilson: The Vice Consul at our Vice-Consulate in Orlando visited Mr. Maharaj in prison on 9 December 1998. He subsequently visited on 18 December 1999, but Mr. Maharaj had other visitors and decided not to see him at that time.

The Vice-Consul visited most recently on 18 January 2000, and will do so again on 8 February 2001.

Premier Oil

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response the Government have had from Premier Oil since its request for the company to withdraw from Burma; and if he will make a statement. [149049]

Mr. Battle: Premier Oil remain in Burma. But, as I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 6 February 2001, Official Report, column 488W, Premier Oil are well aware of our views

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on their investment and on Burma generally. Our policy has not changed and will not do so until there is substantive progress in that country.

Burma/Yugoslavia (Sanctions)

Mr. Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on imposing sanctions on (a) Burma and (b) the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [149087]

Mr. Battle: The UK fully implements and enforces the EU Common Position--measures imposed on Burma since 1996 by the EU because of the severe and systematic violations of human rights and lack of concrete progress towards democracy and national reconciliation in that country. In April last year, the UK successfully argued for the EU Common Position (which already included a full arms embargo, bars on defence links and non-humanitarian aid and visa restrictions) to be strengthened by imposing a ban on the export of equipment that could be used for internal repression or terrorism, strengthening the visa ban list and imposing a freeze of funds on designated members of the Burmese Government, military and security forces and designated Burmese authorities in the tourism sector. There is no consensus within the EU or UN for further measures to be adopted. Unilaterally, the UK does not encourage trade with or investment in Burma and draws attention to the views of Burmese democratic leaders that tourism there is inappropriate. The UK does not intend to soften its approach to Burma until there is substantial change in the political and human rights situation.

With regard to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), EU sanctions were radically revised following the democratic victory of President Vojislav Kostunica in October last year. The oil and flight bans were abolished. Residual sanctions, comprising a visa ban and freeze of funds, have been retained to target specifically Milosevic and persons associated with him. The EU arms embargo and embargo on the supply to the FRY of equipment which might be used for internal repression remain in force.

The UK further implements the provisions of United Nations Security Council resolution 1160 (1998), which imposed an arms embargo on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and a prohibition on arming and training for terrorist activities there.

Prisoners of War (North Korea)

Mr. Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of North Korea on the fate of untraced United Kingdom prisoners of war lost during the Korean War. [147788]

Mr. Battle: The Secretary of State has not held any recent discussion with the Government of North Korea on this subject. Establishing diplomatic relations with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea will allow us to discuss this and other issues with the North Korean Government.

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HEALTH

French Meat

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he was first informed of the contents of the report to Directorate D of the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General of a veterinary mission to France relating to certain protective measures against BSE and scrapie, with particular reference to implementation of Commission Decisions 94/381/EC, 98/272/EC, 98/703/EC and 97/18/EC; and what action he has taken to protect British consumers since then. [144258]

Ms Stuart [holding answer 8 January 2001]: The Food Standards Agency has advised that the report was published in December 1999 and concerns a veterinary mission carried out in France in May/June 1999. The purpose of the mission was to examine compliance in France with certain EC measures relating to monitoring and eradication of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies in cattle and sheep. These are all matters for which Agriculture Ministers are responsible.

The Food Standards Agency has been monitoring the incidence of BSE across Europe. Its latest advice is that no additional measures are currently needed in the United Kingdom to protect consumers from legal beef imports from France or other European countries.

Mr. Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates he (a) spoke by telephone to and (b) met (i) the French Minister of Health and (ii) the European Commissioner with responsibility for health and consumer protection, to discuss the contents of the report to Directorate D of the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General of a veterinary mission to France relating to certain protective measures against BSE and scrapie, with particular reference to implementation of Commission Decisions 94/381/EC, 98/272/EC, 98/703/EC and 97/18/EC. [144257]

Ms Stuart [holding answer 8 January 2001]: I have not held any discussions with members of the French Government or the European Commission on the report.

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